57 



But it is said by some persons, that the corn 

 displaced by the present measure from the dis- 

 tillery, and thrown on the market of general 

 consumption, will not disappear from the coun- 

 try, but will only displace in its turn so much 

 of the imported corn. To this, however, it is 

 an obvious reply, that if our home growers 

 cannot at the present prices compete with the 

 foreign growers, and wholly prevent importa- 

 tion, they will still less be able to do so when 

 prices are further reduced by the stoppage of 

 the distillery. Nobody surely imagines that 

 the small importation which we at present 

 need arises from our having no spare land to 

 produce it ourselves. It is because, in the 

 present circumstances of the country, foreign 

 growers can supply us with that small quanti- 

 ty cheaper than our home growers can supply 

 us : And it is proper the foreign growers should 

 do so, when the circumstances of the country 

 naturally require it. It is clear, therefore, that 

 if importation be no further burdened than at 

 present, the foreign growers will quickly dis- 

 place our home growers to the whole amount 

 set free from distillation, probably somewhat 

 farther. 



Here, however, the advocates of a restric- 

 tive policy are at no loss ; but, according to 



